Is there like a general guide that is followed for the pricing of bowls? i recently made a ceder bowl about 6 inches tall and with a 6 inch circumference of the interior. But i'm not sure what i could sell it for.

Austin, this is a tough question for many reasons, such as skill level achieved and wood species.Here is a thread discussing exactly what you're asking,while the thread is two years old, the same things apply today Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to or

The first question is who are you selling against. There are turners who are most interested in the thrill of having sold than what they are making per hour making the item. My personal opinion is that cheapens the craft of woodturning in the eyes of the public, but not everyone agrees.

When the cost of being in a show (art, craft, sidewalk, et cetera) is low (entry fee, application process, distance to show, need for pop-up and tables, et cetera) turners with lower prices are more likely to be there. That's not necessarily saying lower quality products, just turners willing to price their items lower.

As a rule of thumb, one can visit a show to see what relative prices are, then decide whether to enter the following year. But that still doesn't guarantee someone new will enter with low prices.

Ideally, one markets his or her professionalism, skill and persona as much as the turned items, but I don't know how to do that (or maybe simply don't have then, lol).

Austin,Figuring out the formula for pricing is the $64K question. I have been in a gallery for over 4 years and the only thing that has been consistent in my pricing have been my pens and some of those will be going up in price soon. Right now, my beginning price is $12 per linear inch for bowls and platters and $15 per inch for length plus width for hollow forms. As I said, this is base price. The type of wood, figuring in the wood etc. also adds to the price. I guess one of the things that has added to my knowledge of pricing is what the painters sell their painting for. (Don't look at potters, their prices are usually low.) I am not the most expensive turner in my region of the country nor am I the cheapest--probably upper 2/3. For example, the dyed HF with a pedestal and finial is 12" in total height and 7 1/4" wide, I'm selling for $325. The HF of spalted oak is 11 3/4" x 5 1/2", I'm selling for $300. Both of these are the exception to the rule because of the uniqueness of the wood etc. I have even had some people tell me I could sell either of them for $400 + depending on the location.

I think as turners, we all need to set the standard for price to help establish what the expected price of our artwork is really worth. I have seen too many of our fellow turners selling their work at what I believe to be give away prices. Even if we are turning for fun or for something to do in retirement, we owe it to the woodturning community to value our work and to help raise the level of value of our art form. HTH and just my 2 cents worth

Whatever pricing formula you decide to use, if you can't make a profit you come out ahead by not making the product. If you can't sell what you want to make for a reasonable living wage, don't lower your price, find a new market. The practice of retired folks with skill levels from rudimentary to amazing selling work at any price just because they don't require more to pay the bills cheapens the craft and makes it very difficult for those of us who depend on our work to support ourselves and our families.

Re: Pricing?Reply #5 - Today at 07:24:25 Mark & Quote Quote Whatever pricing formula you decide to use, if you can't make a profit you come out ahead by not making the product. If you can't sell what you want to make for a reasonable living wage, don't lower your price, find a new market. The practice of retired folks with skill levels from rudimentary to amazing selling work at any price just because they don't require more to pay the bills cheapens the craft and makes it very difficult for those of us who depend on our work to support ourselves and our families.

I think as turners, we all need to [highlight]set the standard for price [/highlight]to help establish what the expected price of our artwork is really worth. I have seen too many of our fellow turners selling their work at what I believe to be give away prices. Even if we are turning for fun or for something to do in retirement, we owe it to the woodturning community to value our work and to help raise the level of value of our art form.

1. How would you do that?2. That sound dangerously close to artificially increasing the price

Re: Pricing?Reply #5 - Today at 07:24:25 Mark & Quote QuoteWhatever pricing formula you decide to use, if you can't make a profit you come out ahead by not making the product. If you can't sell what you want to make for a reasonable living wage, don't lower your price, find a new market. The practice of retired folks with skill levels from rudimentary to amazing selling work at any price just because they don't require more to pay the bills cheapens the craft and makes it very difficult for those of us who depend on our work to support ourselves and our families.

Well said Alan, I totally agree.

IMOWhile I understand and agree with the basic sentiment of your comments. Your comments regarding profit are fine for a professional but it ends there, You simply can not tell people what they can and can not do.Sorry, no hobby for you, you sell too cheaply and you're hurting my business. No matter how much you might want to say things like that, you just can't.I know it stinks but it's a fact of life and you just have to deal with it, all artists do.All I can say is if the "retired folks" are hurting your business, than you need to figure out a different strategy.

I would just add one more thing. As much as I myself don't like the perceived under-priced selling, I also don't like the overpriced items either, of which there are just as many.

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Re: Pricing?Reply #9 - Mar 31st, 2015 at 1:37pm

I don't totally disagree, it does stink.I've seen more than my fair share of "lowballers" as you call them, as I'm sure most everyone here has, you just have to deal with it. I just know that trying to manipulate (either for good or bad) the market can be a slippery slope.ExampleHobbyists are sent away,thenWoodturnings start to fetch higher prices, thenWood suppliers start to charge morethen Tool venders start to charge morethenVenues start to charge moreThen, Even though your lowball competition is no longer around, everyone has to pay more for the entire process and therefore nothing was accomplished.Just another reason pricing is an almost impossible task to quantifyThis scenario is not as far fetched as some of you might think.

I don't think you can compare a retired person lowballer at a show to a real business in your example. Surprisingly, many business don't go out of business for charging to much, they go out of business for charging to little. This happens when they don't charge enough to maintain their profit, pay their employees and satisfy suppliers. A retired person Many lowballers are happy to just get back their cost on materials and make a buck or two and as a result their prices are artificially low. Ed Weber wrote on Mar 31st, 2015 at 1:37pm:

Even though your lowball competition is no longer around,

There will always be lowballers thinking they can fill that void. I've met a few turners that could make more money flipping hamburgers at Burger King then selling their wares at a craft show.

I just know that trying to manipulate (either for good or bad) the market can be a slippery slope.

I seriously doubt anyone on this forum or any woodturner for that matter can manipulate the woodturning market even if they wanted to. (The Hunt brothers tried to do that with silver and look where it got them)

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Re: Pricing?Reply #12 - Mar 31st, 2015 at 3:37pm

I guess the idea here is to make sure that your work is good enough that it LOOKS like it is worth the higher price.

Have a look at what the Lb'ers are making and make it better, cleaner, more intricate...fewer tiny flaws in the turning, sanding, finish, etc.

The only way to convince a customer to buy yours is to be better at it than the other guy.

There will always be customers who buy based on price and nothing will change their minds. Make sure you are selling at places where the"other" people go to buy art... assuming your bowls don't hold soup!

There will always be frame shops who are cheaper than I am, but very few who are as good at it as I am.

So... are you REALLY good enough to charge more or are you down at their level of workmanship/prices?

Another thing to consider is the type of shows you sit at. Try to find out the reputation of the show and go for the ones that cater to higher end buyers.

While I don't disagree with what's been said, I definitely fall into Ralph's camp.Ralph Fahringer wrote on Mar 31st, 2015 at 3:37pm:

The only way to convince a customer to buy yours is to be better at it than the other guy.

I do know that just being better than the other guy is no guarantee of anything, it's all you can do.I set my prices to reflect the workmanship of the piece, while others are just happy seeing chips fly off spinning wood and are happy to break even.I can't change it and i really don't know it it would do any good if I could.